How I Made Office Managing Partner: 'You Must Give Respect to Get Respect,' Says Aisha Bembry of Lewis Baach Kaufmann Middlemiss
Aisha Bembry, managing partner of LBKM's Washington office, was featured in Law.com's "How I Made It" series.
What’s the best piece of advice you give to someone who wants to rise up the ranks to lead an office?
To anyone who wants to be a successful leader, I would offer the following piece of advice: treat everyone with respect and know who you are. The first part of my advice is straightforward—in short, you must give respect to get respect. Over the past 20 years working at a law firm, including the three years I spent working in Big Law, I have come to appreciate that no one person is good at everything and no one person can do it all or should do it all. Law firms function best when everyone on the team understands and respects the various roles that each team member plays and is flexible and committed to the overall success and objective of the team. To be an effective leader you must show each member of your team respect to obtain the respect you need to be successful. It is also just as important to know who you are: to understand your strengths, weaknesses and limits. Also, make sure you play to your strengths, work on your challenges, and operate within your limits while still testing them. It is certainly good to be known as the go-to person for some things, but also give yourself grace when you face challenges, make mistakes, or when you just need time for yourself and your family. When people see someone who is respectful, competent, committed, and self-aware, it goes a long way in how you are valued.
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